SPRING FORWARD!
“My body and my heart may fail, but God, You give strength to my heart. You are everything I will ever need” - Psalm 73:26
“...Do not rejoice against me…for though I fall, I will rise again…” - Micah 7:8
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed nor broken. We are perplexed, but we are not demoralized or in despair; we don’t give up and quit” - 2 Corinth 4:8
It is officially spring season! Hallelujah! I welcome you to April and into a new quarter. I believe you had a satisfying experience dining with Jesus; it is my prayer that Jesus continues to be an honored guest at our tables.
So, what is the Holy Spirit saying to us this month of April? In this time of great distress and faintheartedness, He is calling us to SPRING FORWARD. There are times we go through situations that stretch us to our limits, things get so overwhelming that we go numb, weak, or withdraw. Even now, a lot of us may be struggling with things, issues that we cannot fully grasp or control. In the words of Paul, though we are pressed in on all sides, we do not give up or quit. In the course of our services this month, we will be considering some of the epic meltdowns in the Bible, and how these individuals showed emotional strength by rising after falling. We would also consider some examples of those who stayed down, learning from their experience that no matter how many times we fall, we should get back up. Though we are limited as humans, God is limitless and sees and hears us when we are down.
We all know Elijah, the feisty prophet of fire; he was not a weak man. The Bible tells us that though Elijah was just as human as we are, he was able to control weather conditions through his prayer, as well as outrun Ahab’s chariots. However, in the very next chapter (1 Kings 19), we see him running for his life, to the point where he asks that God should take his life. It is almost ironic that this great man of God experienced an emotional low after a great display of prophetic unction. And how did God respond? By feeding him. One lesson to be learned here, among other things, is that rest and recuperation is very important to our state of being. He went on the strength of that meal for 40 days and nights, arrived at a cave, and then had follow-up conversations with God about his state of mind. Food only gave him physical strength, it started the process of his recovery, but it was not enough. He had counseling sessions with God where God revealed to him that he was not alone in bearing Israel’s burden (we see that prayer is a place of vulnerability; we forfeit our peace when we do not take things to God in prayer). In fact, God led him to specific individuals who would help in his assignment. We must remember God’s admonition to us this year to not do life alone. It is easier for someone who has a community to recover from a meltdown than someone who is alone (Gen 2:18).
Moses is another example of a man who had an emotional meltdown. He took justice into his hands and killed an Egyptian, and so had to run for his life. He maintained a low profile for the next 40 years of his life: he got married, had sons, worked for his father in-law, just lived a simple life. What else was left in life for him? He was almost 80 years old. But God was not done with him; He was just getting started. When God unveiled His plans for Moses, he was so scared that, according to some Bible scholars, it affected his speech; he began to stutter. But God reached out to him in the backside of the desert and made him a leader of his people, a prophet over and rescuer of his nation. David’s story in 1 Sam 30 is another instance of someone who was able to recover and get back up after experiencing a devastating situation. In verse four of the chapter, David wept bitterly, until he had no more strength to weep. This David, who was the pride of his military, was now the object of their frustration; they wanted to stone him. Our ability to bounce back, to dare to hope and trust again after suffering loss, to try again after multiple failed attempts, to be resolute and resilient is based on our knowledge of the faithfulness of God. The reason we can boldly speak the words of Micah 7:8 is because of vs. 7: we are looking to God, confident that He hears and sees. David encouraged himself in God; he turned to God for help, and he and his men were able to bounce back, muster the strength to go fight, and recover all.
Finally, we have the examples of Peter, Judas Iscariot, and Demas (their stories are found in Matt 26:14-16,47-50,69-75; 27:3-5; Col 4:14, and 2 Tim 4:10 respectively). Both Peter and Judas betrayed Jesus; one out of fear by denying ever knowing Him, the other out of greed by selling him out for money. They both experienced mental and emotional turmoil after their actions, but one got up, while the other stayed down. One repented and was restored, the other did not and ended sadly. Peter is one of the most relatable apostles of Jesus because of his humanity and impulsiveness. After Jesus was killed, we see him falling back to old ways, and old habits (John 21). But no matter how many times he fell, he repented genuinely and was restored. He eventually became the foremost apostle in the birth of the Church as recorded in the book of Acts. Demas, a companion of Apostle Paul, loved the world more than he loved Jesus. We never hear about him again after the Apostle wrote to inform Timothy about how he, Demas, had abandoned him, returning to the world. But we can juxtapose his story to that of King Saul whose meltdown was epic, albeit fueled by his insecurity, pride, and disobedience. He wanted to please the people more than he wanted to please God. He became erratic after he was rejected, very paranoid, and suspicious of those close to him; he even came close to killing his own son (1 Sam 20:24-33). Just like King Saul, Demas forsook God because of the cares of this world. Many of us are in this state, but we can return now. Do not make the same mistake as these men who did not get up.
The Bible reminds us that we have a High Priest who has been touched by the feeling of our infirmity and helplessness (Heb 4:15). He understands our frustration, and remembers that we are human (Ps 103:14). His grace is made sufficient for us, empowering us to bounce back after a setback, and enabling us to rise when we fall. No matter how long you have tried, or how lengthy the wait has been, you must not give up. Tough times will come, times that will make you reconsider a lot of things. But tough times never last, only tough people do. Cry if you have to, but wipe your tears, get up, and keep going. Never stay down, never give up, never lose hope, never have a defeated mentality. You can, and will make it!
In the series, we shall consider Elijah - a man just like us, David at Ziklag, and Demas's departure. Shalom!